Tattoo
by Dragon Fire10
Summary: Draco was told...he was warned. "If you keep playing with fire, sooner or later you get burned."
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **None of the characters in this story belong to me…everything is JKRowling.

**A/N: **Important info about this story. The first being that DH does not exist….it didn't totally happen. Also, I will not give you major info on Snape and how he got to remain at Hogwarts because well…the story isn't about him and will not aid the plot at all.

Thanks to my beta, TrinityLayne, for all she did for me for this chapter and all she has agreed to continue doing for me.

And as always my LJ will also host this story, but it will always be at least a chapter a head of anywhere else you will find it posted. You are welcome and encouraged to read there and comment as well!

_Prologue_

The young man walked down the hall, his shoes echoing on the hard wood floor. His hands lay lazily in his dark pants pockets and his blond hair cut down across his forehead obscuring his vision. From beneath the hair a pair of grey eyes that looked like melted pools of silver peered out searching for the source of the squealing sound.

Up ahead a door stood ajar…a door normally closed as if it held some secret past no one wanted unlocked. Curiously the young man approached the door and looked in. The girl sat on her knees on the floor. There was an apparent loose floor board in the room as it now stood open and she was pulling a beautiful vine carved box from the hole beneath. Her long blond hair fell forward over her shoulders. As she sat the box down, she tucked her hair behind her ears, her own grey eyes looking up at her brother now leaning in the doorway with a scowl on his face.

"Father will be displeased if he finds you here, Carina. Not to mention Grandfather will more than likely be even more so."

Carina rolled her eyes and turned her attentions back to the box.

"Whatever for, Corvus? I was curious about Father's old bedroom and tripped over this loose floorboard."

Corvus watched his sister curiously. The box was a curious thing. If his information was correct, their father had not slept in that room since his last year at Hogwarts.

"Where is Father?"

Corvus smirked. So, his sister was worried about being caught.

"He is down in the kitchens with Grandmother and Grandfather discussing the holiday menu with the house elves."

Carina smiled and slowly opened the box. Corvus watched her face fall, but only for a moment. Her eyes lit up and Corvus tried to peer into the box from his position in the doorway. He could see nothing though and the sound of footsteps quickly distracted his attentions.

"Carina," he whispered in a slight panic.

She seemed to always get him in trouble!

"Carina!"

She looked up and saw the concern on her brother's face. She quickly scrambled to her feet, shut the box and rushed to her brother's side. Corvus cringed as he realized his younger sister held the box still behind her back. Draco slowed to a halt in front of his two children, eyeing them suspiciously. His icy eyes traveled to the open door of the bedroom he grew up in.

"Carina…Corvus. What are you two up to?"

Corvus glared at his sister and she simply smiled, nervously and shook her head frantically.

"N-nothing, Father! I was just curious about the room you grew up in is all."

To the untrained eye Draco believed his sweet precious daughter's story. Corvus knew better. He had seen this scenario too many times to fall for it. Didn't his little sister know by now that Father _always_ knew when she was lying? After all, she was horrible at it. Draco nodded as if accepting her story and then reached behind her back and pulled the box from her hands. She groaned slightly.

"Told you, you would be in trouble," Corvus said.

Draco stared at his daughter for a moment. Her head was bowed as if ashamed of her actions. He knew this day would come. And he knew it would be soon. After all, she was sixteen years old and he knew at some point she would want to know the story. He just didn't know she would find this.

"Come with me," he said in a slightly clipped tone.

With a sense of dread and regret, Carina and Corvus followed their father into the drawing room. The fire was still ablaze and the lights on the Christmas tree twinkled like stars. They were alone in here though. Draco sat the box on a table and opened it. Corvus leaned forward slightly, getting his first look.

It appeared to be nothing but rubbish inside the box. Two vial necklaces and the shattered pieces of a vine wood wand. Draco stared into the box. It had been years since he last saw these items, before Corvus was born to be sure. His fingers reached in and caressed the vials before finding a large chunk of the shattered wand.

"Looks like a bunch of rubbish to me," Corvus responded with a smirk toward his sister.

Carina vehemently shook her head in disagreement.

"It would not have been hidden if it was not something precious to Father!"

Draco looked up in time to see his son roll his eyes. Oh how like him at seventeen Corvus is. His eyes turned back to his daughter.

"Yes, Carina. You are correct." He turned back to the contents of the box. He picked up one of the silver jeweled vial necklaces, allowing the chain to intertwine itself in his fingers. "These belonged to someone whose love is forever tattooed on my heart."

Corvus snorted and looked away. So cynical… just like Draco was at that age.

"She is what made me the man I am today," Draco said placing the necklace gently back into the box.

Corvus took a deep breath and rolled his eyes again as if the idea was preposterous. Carina stepped forward though, anxious to hear the story, but slightly concerned.

"Did Mother know about her?"

Draco nodded and looked back at his son.

"It will happen when you least expect it, Corvus," Draco said making sure his son was listening. "One day, you will understand. One day, you will love someone other than yourself and when it happens, you will realize what a better person you are for having loved them. You realize what exactly you are willing to sacrifice for their happiness," he said as he picked up a piece of the shattered wand and closed his eyes. "You realize what they are willing to sacrifice for your happiness."

Draco took another deep breath. He hadn't opened his eyes yet as if he could see his past like a movie with his eyes closed.

"She was so angry back then. Her parents had been murdered and with my history I became the target of all her anger and hate. Her eyes flashed like fire when she was angry," Draco said with a slight smile on his face as if even that memory was pleasant.

Draco opened his eyes and looked at his skeptical son.

"I was your age when it all started…"


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing Harry Potter related

**A/N: **I was going to make this exclusive to LJ and Granger Enchanted. But I want people to actually read it so it is back. I warn you this chapter has indication of horrific violence, but is necessary in order to understand Hermione's current frame of mind.

**Chapter One**

The young man stood in the foyer, blond hair falling across his forehead and almost in his eyes. He stood between his mother and father, his icy grey eyes traveling over all the curious faces. Potter, Weasley and the Weaslette were halfway down the stairs, not hiding their curiosity in the least bit. All three had similar looks of distaste and distrust on their faces. Draco didn't care. They weren't exactly his choice for company for his summer vacation either.

Mister Weasley and his father were glaring daggers at each other. That was nothing new. Draco learned early on they didn't like each other and Draco wondered exactly how and when that rivalry started. Draco could argue that Mister Weasley was a blood traitor and that was why, but he had his doubts. He never saw his father get into an actual Muggle style fist fight with anyone else that was a blood traitor. Draco noticed both his mother and Mrs. Weasley look at their husbands nervously before turning and sizing each other up as if some mental female conversation was going on.

Then it all happened at once. His mother seemed to relax just a little, which for her was quite a bit and Mrs. Weasley quickly grabbed Draco, pulling him farther into the house as if welcoming him like one of her own. Draco tried to keep the urge to shove the woman away at bay. After all, this was for his family and their survival. That didn't mean he had to like them, but it was best not to start anything either. In the chaos of the welcoming, the two Weasley twins stepped down from upstairs, stopping behind Potter to look on. The kitchen door opened and the last person Draco expected to see stepped out, bowl of cereal in his hand, steadily shoving food into his mouth. Mrs. Weasley turned and clicked her tongue, removing the bowl from Theodore Nott's hands as he tried to pass through. He looked up, his mouth hanging open.

"Hey," he said sounding affronted as he looked for the culprit.

His dark hazel eyes landed on Mrs. Weasley's stern face. She looked at him pointedly and he quickly closed his mouth. Draco wondered how long he had been here to already know not to argue with Mrs. Weasley. Draco filed that away for later as he noticed his mother slowly move toward an empty frame.

"Where is she?" Narcissa looked around the room.

Everyone turned to look at Ginny. She stood stubbornly on the step, arms crossed over her chest. Her twin brothers looked at each other and then her warily.

"When Hermione got here the old hag was screaming obscenities at her. She doesn't need that right now, so _I_ took care of it." Ginny looked as if she were daring any of the Malfoys to argue with her about it.

"Ginny Weasley, watch that tone," Mrs. Weasley scolded her daughter—probably the only one in that room not afraid to do so.

"Well," Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Why don't we all go to the kitchen? I was just finishing up dinner."

Draco had never experienced anything so…warm. His parents spoiled him and loved him, yes, but the experience of dinner with this goody goody family was almost noxious. He felt like being sick as he sat amidst these people, eating, talking and laughing as if there weren't a war going on right outside those walls. Potter, Weasel and the Weaslette were in a rather loud animated debate about England's chances for the Quidditch World Cup. The Twins had their heads together, obviously up to something which explained why Mrs. Weasley kept peering at them as if ready to scold at the slightest sign of any of their plans. Mr. Weasley sat at the end of the table talking with that werewolf about who was scouted around one of the manors the Malfoy's owned in hopes that no one, meaning Death Eaters, would come looking for them there in order to enable them to place a Fidelius on it by the holidays. Nott was quiet and eating. He would glance up at Draco on occasion and offer a smile that seemed to say "this is unbelievable isn't it?"

Then, Draco's eyes landed on an obvious empty seat, obvious by the empty plate that sat on the table as if in hopes someone would use it. He glanced around the table again. Hermione was not there despite Draco remembering mention of her in the foyer. Mrs. Weasley's eyes lingered on the plate before she looked at the kitchen door and with a sigh ordered Ginny to fix a plate for Hermione.

"One of us will take it up to her when we are done eating."

"She won't eat it, Mum," Ginny said.

Narcissa looked up.

"The girl isn't eating?"

Draco glanced at his mother. No, she wasn't necessarily worried about the girl. She was a Mudblood after all. It was more the mother in her had heard alarms go off about a child her son's age not eating. Mrs. Weasley looked at her for a moment as if trying to decide if Narcissa was looking for a reason to be hateful or if her concern was at least partially genuine. Mrs. Weasley shook her head.

"_Hermione_," she said stressing her name so that Narcissa was aware Hermione was not "that girl." She continued on, trying not to let tears fall. "Hermione has not left her and Ginny's room since Severus brought her here."

Mr. Weasley patted his wife's hand as if offering comfort.

"You heard what Severus said," Lupin explained gently. "It will take time."

Mrs. Weasley turned, no longer able to fight her tears for the girl.

"Time," she shrieked. "That young woman up in that room is simply some shell. _That_ is not the girl I've known since she was eleven…_that_ is some broken shell the Death Eaters left behind!" She turned into her husband's open arms and sobbed.

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Draco always knew that Theo was concerned about when his father would find a way out of that prison. Despite being in Slytherin, Theo was not his father. He had no desire to follow a half-blood and honestly, Draco could rarely recall hearing him call anyone, let alone Hermione, "Mudblood." It crossed his mind quite a few times that Theo didn't necessarily believe them inferior, but when you are in Slytherin, you keep such things to your self. It was with the several breakouts that Theo turned to the Order.

He didn't want to be his father.

He was still Draco's long time childhood friend though and as such, Draco kept his mouth shut about what he really thought. It was Theo's miserable life not his.

For days Draco was there and never once saw Granger. The library was even Granger free. It was as if she wasn't there, but the lingering sadness of her lack of presence was overpowering. At night Draco would be awakened to a young woman screaming as if she were being brutally murdered. The first night this happened, Draco was thankful he had to share a room with Theo or he would have never known it was Hermione and it was a regular occurrence. Severus showed up several times, checking on her and warning them all of what they could expect to see.

Days turned into weeks.

The room at large was still and silent as she fought against his hold, desperate to lash out at the Slytherin boy standing in the door way. Harry's arms tightened around her, holding her close up against his chest.

"Please, Hermione," he whispered through her thick main of hair into her ear.

At the table behind Harry, Theodore Nott sat, quill poised over his parchment, eyes turned up for only a moment, long enough to meet Draco with that knowing gaze. As Theo went back to his work, Draco glanced away and back at the angry Gryffindor girl fighting to get her hands on him. The corner of his mouth turned up at one corner, humored by the usually self-controlled girl.

By one of the large windows of the room, Ginny stood with her face buried in Ron's chest, tears streaming down her cheeks. It hurt to see Hermione in such a state. By the fireplace the twins stood, for once, subdued, finding no humor in the situation.

"Please! Let me go!"

Harry's arms tightened around her, his head leaning down against her, closing his eyes for a moment as if it pained him to see her like this. Hermione was not herself. She didn't even notice that Harry's embrace had grown. Still, she struggled to break free.

The clicking of heals on hard wood behind Draco were the only sounds that could be heard beyond Hermione's pleas. Severus slowed as he reached the doorway, his dark eyes, always so accusing looked from Draco to the room at large. His eyes landed on Hermione, wrapped up in Harry's arms trying so hard to get to Draco. Her hair, though not as bushy as it once was, was a mess due to her struggles, hanging down in her face only partially obscuring eyes that were once so hollow looking now danced with a fire bordering on insanity. The dark circles under her eyes were the evidence of her troubled sleep every night and her tears…they ran down her cheek in the purest form of frustration and heartache.

Severus knew this was coming.

It was only a matter of time before the Gryffindor girl grew angry. The only question was who she would blame? Herself? Severus? The Order? No, it was Draco Malfoy. Severus watched the tears streaming down her face almost thankful they were finally seeing some sort of emotion from the girl.

The commotion had brought forth the other occupants of the house. Lucius and Narcissa curiously stepped onto the landing, Narcissa, realizing what was happening, immediately reached for her son. Draco pulled his arm from his mother's grasp. At the sight of the tearful, struggling Hermione, Mrs. Weasley covered her mouth in an attempt to not vocalize her own heartbreak at seeing the girl so…broken.

Draco glanced behind him at his rather protective mother. Her own mouth was covered by her hand and her eyes were wide and Draco knew why. His mother had not only heard, but seen what kind of girl Hermione Granger was. His mother had seen her fight along side her friends without a second thought. And now what his mother was seeing was not this strong Mudblood she heard so much about and watched fight, but a broken version of this girl. It wasn't so much that Narcissa liked the girl. But in Narcissa's eyes she was also a child, a child the same age as her son. It could have been _her _son. What was this war doing to them?

"Let me go!"

Her voice was a screech of insanity and desperation. Harry jerked her harder against his chest and when she tried with all her might to push herself free of him, he held tighter, dropping to his knees. Severus watched this. He looked away and closed his eyes only to be assaulted with the visions of finding her that day.

_Even from the outside the house looked hollow, dead. Severus knew immediately they were too late. The Dark Mark hung in the sky, high above the house, its menacing hollows where eyes were meant to be looked down upon the house as if it were mirroring what would be found inside. Severus felt his heart clutch at the realization that they were too late, the information simply came to his knowledge too late and for a moment, Severus stood outside that house feeling guilty…again._

_ McGonagall, Remus and a few other Order members were with him, but it did not stop Severus' fear at entering that house. It was no longer a rescue mission. It had become a recovery mission. Severus took a deep breath, not looking forward to what horrors he would find in the house. After all, the Death Eaters that were sent to this residence were the worst of the worst; they didn't like to simply avada someone, that didn't involve bloodshed of any sort. The Mark had just appeared upon their arrival so Severus still held a bit of hope that the perpetrators were interrupted. Perhaps someone was alive in that house._

_ Entering the house was beyond horrifying. McGonagall gasped and covered her mouth. Severus, though not the first time to see this particular band of Death Eater's work, was internally cringing and denying the possibilities that Hermione Granger was indeed dead. Every wall he could see had the same word painted in bright red. The coppery smell that assaulted his olfactory sense upon entering the house told Severus it was blood. They looked from wall to wall._

_ Mudblood._

_ The only word used. Despite the churning stomachs of the Order members, they began to search the house trying as they might, to ignore the coppery smell of death through out. Furniture was turned over. The Death Eaters obviously had some fun first._

_ They found her father at the foot of the stairs in a strange mirroring of her Potter friend's father's death. The pain that still showed on the part of his face not so covered in blood that he was unrecognizable let them know he did not die easily, but it was slow, painful and bloody._

_ "You," Severus said pointing to a couple of the Order members. "Take care of this one,"_

_ McGonagall, Snape and the other two Order members with them stepped over the bloodied body and followed the horrifying display of blood up the stairs._

_ They found her mother on the landing upstairs, just outside one of the bedroom doors. The amount of torture, magical and muggle, that had to be used to inflict this kind of pain, to draw out this much blood, to leave such a broken body was sickening to imagine._

_ "You," Severus said pointing to the woman's body._

_ The other two Order members stepped forward to do what was necessary. McGonagall and Severus continued to search. There was no sign of Hermione Granger's body and Severus began to worry that she had been taken. That was when he heard it. Standing in what could only be her bedroom with the many book shelves and academic awards from primary school, he heard a soft sobbing. It was stilted, as if the person was trying so desperately to remain quiet, but finding it quite hard with the smell of blood permeating the air. Severus cocked his head to the side to listen._

_ He found her locked in the closet. She had pushed herself into the very back corner of the closet, hidden by the hanging clothes. Her legs were drawn up to her chest to prevent any part of her showing. Her hands rested on her knees and the tears were falling uncontrollably down her face. He could tell she was shaking from head to toe, a combination of ultimate fear and total shock. It was with the black look of unfathomable fear in Hermione Granger's eyes that Severus realized what it was exactly._

_ Hermione Granger had to sit in the corner of that closet, more than likely at her father's command, and listen to their brutal torture and murder expecting to be found at any moment. At least, that was Severus' guess because the girl simply would not talk._

Severus let out a long breath. Those memories were especially horrifying. When he brought her back to Grimmauld Place, she did not react to Theodore Nott hiding there nor did she react to the news that the Malfoys would be arriving. In fact, she didn't react to anything. She spent her time in the room she shared with Ginny, not eating, not talking, not crying…doing nothing, but staring out the window or up at the ceiling or simply at nothing.

It was like Hermione Granger did not exist.

It was only a matter of time before the anger rose up from her heart. Severus glanced back down at the girl now struggling on the floor and with a flick of his wand; she became frozen, unable to move. Harry let go of her with a sigh of relief. Severus stepped forward and pulled a vial out of his cloak, pouring its contents down her throat. Within seconds, her eyes closed and Severus released the spell before lifting up a very limp Hermione. The room was silent as Severus swept from the room with the girl.

"Will she ever be the same?"

Mrs. Weasley heard her only daughter's soft words as she mumbled them into Ron's chest.

"Yes," Mrs. Weasley said stepping in. "I have to believe that. It will just take time. Severus warned us this would happen. He explained the steps a grieving person goes through. Think of this as another step toward her recovery from this tragedy."

The room was silent as if letting what Mrs. Weasley said sink in and create hope in those closest to her.

"Well, dinner is ready," Mrs. Weasley said before turning and leaving, tears gleaming in her eyes.

All the Gryffindors left, following Mrs. Weasley. After a moment, Lucius and Narcissa went down to the kitchen leaving Draco in the drawing room with Theo. Theo, noticing the quickly emptying room, slowed his movement across the parchment, watching for what Draco was going to do. Draco looked around the room; his nose crinkled as if something in or about the room was disgusting. Finally, he stopped and leaned back against the back of the sofa. Theo sat his quill down and shoved his hair off his forehead only to have it fall right back.

"What did you do to her, Darco?"

Draco's eyes wandered from the intense gaze of his friend out the window where the sky was turning several shades of oranges as the sun set. He shrugged.

"I said nothing to the little Mudblood," Draco said.

Theo shook his head as he began putting his books and work away.

"You know," he said. "Should you be calling the Order's pet Muggle-born a Mudblood?"

Draco's eyes narrowed slightly at Theo as he watched Theo put his things away. It was a moment before Draco bothered to respond to that.

"Just because I didn't want to be a sycophant for a crazed half-blood wizard does not mean I am now the champion of Mudbloods."

Theo looked up at those words, laughter about to burst out. Trying to keep a straight face, Theo walked to the other side of the table and crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned back against it.

"No," Theo said. "I supposed it doesn't mean that."

They were both silent for a moment.

"Are you going to come down and eat with the rest of us?"

Draco moved his gaze from the dying sun to Theo and shook his head no, a look of distaste on his face. Theo shrugged as if saying, "Your stomach, not mine" and walked out of the room.

Draco watched him leave and listened to the sound of his feet drift off as he descended the stairs. He turned to look straight ahead, eyes falling to the floor where Harry stood holding Hermione back from lashing out her anger physically at Draco. Severus explained the stages of grieving to the Malfoys a few days after their arrival. Draco understood what was coming; he just didn't expect to be the one her anger was focused on. It wasn't the first time she had shown anger toward him. She often did. In fact, he did things to cause that anger. Even when she hit him that time, she didn't look like she did today. Today, she wanted to kill him. Today, in her eyes, he was a Death Eater and not just any Death Eater, but the one that murdered her parents.

With a sigh, Draco pushed himself off the sofa. He shoved his hands into his pockets and began walking down the corridor. A door stood slightly ajar—the door to Hermione and Ginny's room. He slowed down, peering in. The girl lying in the bed was pale. When she wasn't acting barking mad, just lying there, the dark circles under her eyes stood out more. She looked like death. She took a deep breath and turned toward the door, a chunk of hair turning and falling across her face. It was the most peaceful she had slept lately. Draco knew this much.

With a slight sneer of disgust in her direction, Draco turned and continued down the corridor to his and Theo's room. Draco fell back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Dumbledore made the offer and he took it, Harry even vouched for it upon Dumbledore's death. No, Draco didn't want to be following a crazed wizard, but that didn't mean he actually liked it there surrounded by Gryffindors. What if he started acting like them? He closed his eyes. Merlin, he hated it there…hated watching them act as if he were some disease at Headquarters, hated watching them eat dinner like they enjoyed each other, hated watching Severus actually help that Mudblood. He hated seeing that he was not the only one affected by the Dark Lord. He hated seeing what made these Gryffindors Gryffindors…watching them take hit after hit and still stand strong and continue on because they refused to quit, refused to lose without a fight.

Except for Hermione Granger.

It seemed she was the exception to the rule. It seemed Hermione Granger had given up.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

**Chapter 2**

Her eyes fluttered open. From her skewed view she could see Snape sitting in a chair by her bed, arms crossed over his chest and scowling as if about to take house points. She turned to lie on her back in hopes of not seeing his face, as if that alone would make her forget. Suddenly, there was light filling the room. Hermione cringed back and threw her arm over her eyes and made to turn back onto her side. She could hear Mrs. Wealsey clicking her tongue.

It was obvious no one was going to leave the room. She could feel her anger boiling just below the surface. Slowly, she moved her arm back to the bed and opened her eyes again. Snape still sat there, arms crossed, now with one eyebrow arched.

"Yes, Miss Granger. You are still with the living…unfortunately."

"Severus!"

Hermione didn't have to look at the woman to know she would have her hands on her hips and a scowl of her own. Severus rolled his eyes and looked back at Hermione. He leaned over slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.

"But that is how she feels, isn't that right?" He cocked his head slightly to the side as he looked at Hermione waiting for her to deny it. She said nothing though.

"Miss Granger, you _will_ get out of bed. You _will_ take a shower. You _will_ be present at the breakfast table. And you _will_ eat." He had leveled her with his typical Do-Not-Argue-With-Me glare.

Hermione said nothing and Mrs. Weasley stepped forward.

"Severus, there is no need to be so harsh with the child."

He didn't move. His eyes cut up to look at the motherly witch.

"We agreed, Molly. _I_ would get her out of bed and down to breakfast. I've had this Insufferable-Know-It-All in my class for years dealing with her every mood. Trust me. When I am done, she _will_ be at that breakfast table, but _not_ if you insist on standing here mollycoddling the girl."

Hermione barely noticed the bottom of Mrs. Weasley skirt as she left the room with a sniff of indignity. Once Mrs. Weasley was gone, Severus turned his full attention to the pale witch in front of him.

"You _will_ go down to breakfast. You _will_ eat. And you _will not_ attack any of the Malfoys without cause."

He watched the angry scowl on Hermione's face slowly turn to a slight smirk. He took a deep breath and looked at her pointedly.

"_Your_ tragedy is no reason to attack the Malfoys. They had nothing to do with it."

Her eyes narrowed slightly and her lips pursed as if really not happy with that assessment. He sat back and pinched the area between his eyes. With a deep breath he held out his hand.

"Give me your wand, Miss Granger."

She looked insulted. She would not hand her wand over.

"No," she said finally speaking to him. Her words were firm and they angered Severus.

"Do not make me use…_other_…means to acquire your wand, Miss Granger. It _won't_ be pleasant."

With narrow hate filled eyes, she reached under her pillow and pulled out the vine wood wand, slapping it into the palm of Severus' hand. He stood as he placed the wand within his robes. She watched him rise up to his feet. If looks could kill, Severus would be dead already.

"You have thirty minutes to show yourself in the kitchen."

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What paused just inside the kitchen doorway was nothing more than a shadow of what Hermione Granger once was. She was pale and her cheeks were slightly sunken. Despite her dreamless sleep, thanks to Severus, the dark circles under her eyes were still a prominent factor on her haunted face. Her jeans and shirt hung on her body as if they were meant to be worn by someone else, an obvious sign of her lack of appetite lately.

They were all staring at her, even the Malfoys. Her golden brown eyes looked over the table. Mrs. Weasley looked pleased to see her, but still concerned. Mrs. Weasley's eyes flashed to Mrs. Malfoy as if communicating something. Hermione wondered how long those _Slytherins _would be there.

Her eyes landed on Nott. He was turned slightly in his chair looking her over. Hermione remembered he was already here when she arrived. Who knew how long he had been there. His dark brown hair fell across his forehead and his dark grey eyes slowly moved from her as he turned back around in his seat.

It was like he knew. She felt nothing. The only emotion she could identify was anger and it was welling up inside of her like a balloon with too much air and dancing around it was fear.

Ginny patted the seat in between her and Nott with a small smile of welcome on her face. Hermione glanced at her two best friends, both with similar smiles of relief on their faces. She took a tentative step forward when Fred and George suddenly burst loudly through the door. Hermione shrieked and threw herself back against the wall as if trying to shrink into the wall. Her eyes were wide and frightened. Mrs. Weasley scowled at the twins who looked thoroughly chagrinned. Ginny was already out of her seat and gently coaxing Hermione away from the wall to her seat.

As Hermione sat down, Harry took her plate and began to put various breakfast items he knew to be her favorite on it. As he sat the plate back in front of her, Nott poured her some pumpkin juice. Across from Hermione, Draco sat looking at Nott with one curiously arched eyebrow. What was Nott doing? Nott shook his head at Draco.

That was when Draco felt it. Her eyes, boring a hole in him, filled with hate and loathing, filled with an insurmountable amount of anger. His cold grey eyes didn't back down though. He stared into her eyes as if daring her to even try it, a smirk threatening the corner of his lips. Without taking his eyes off her, he took a bite of his breakfast, swallowed and then spoke.

"This is a delicious breakfast, Mrs. Weasley," he said, never taking his eyes off Hermione, smirk forming as her lips turned up as if to snarl at him.

"Why, thank you, Draco dear," Mrs. Weasley said sounding almost shocked at the boy's compliment.

Mrs. Weasley was still keeping an eye on Hermione, but everyone else had turned to look at Draco. Nott's eyes shifted from Draco to glance peripherally at Hermione. What was Draco up to now? Nott continued to eat his food though, pretending to pay no attention to Draco's antics or Hermione's slowly growing anger next to him. Ron noticed the look on her face and nervously looked to his mum.

"Mum, she won't hex anyone again will she?"

Mrs. Weasley looked up. Ron often did things to upset Hermione. His concern was more for anything _he_ might say or do later and nothing to do with Draco.

"Severus took her wand. He'll return it when she returns to school."

Draco took a sip of his pumpkin juice and smiled as he sat it down. He leaned slightly forward over his plate.

"He took your wand?" Draco sat back and shook his head. "Not much of a witch without it are you?"

The growl came deep within her throat. Who needed a bloody wand when she had her bare hands? It happened so fast. She screamed out like some war cry and dove across the table. Theo was on his feet, one arm wrapping around her waist as she moved forward. Her descent forward halted suddenly as she realized a strong arm was wrapped around her middle and had now pulled her back flush against a hard body. She struggled, pulling at that arm, hoping to cause it enough pain to let go.

But this was not Harry Potter holding her back.

This was Theodore Nott. And Theodore had grown. He was no longer that lanky boy. His frame, his build…Theodore Nott was more man than either of her best friends.

This continued for weeks. Her anger didn't seem directed at Nott nor Malfoy's parents, just Draco. They couldn't be in the same room without an argument erupting. And Hermione despised not being allowed her wand. She went as far as to beg Severus who looked at her as if she had finally lost it totally. Even Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley did not fight, so preoccupied with keeping Hermione and Draco from each other's throats.

Mrs. Weasley stood in front of the fireplace facing the sofa. She looked more than just a little harried. Her hands were on her hips and she tapped her foot as if that would keep her calm. She looked between the two sitting on opposite ends of the sofa, refusing to look at each other. Hermione had her arms crossed over her chest. Draco sat there, bruise forming at the corner of his right eye, scowl appearing to become permanent.

"Well?" Mrs. Weasley really was not happy.

Hermione turned to glare at Draco a slow smirk forming before she spoke.

"It's not my fault he's incapable of handling one wandless Mudblood."

He snarled at her and Mrs. Weasley clapped her hands together to get their attention. She was so tired of the fighting, sick of it really. Shouldn't the anger be passing already? But Severus had explained to her that it had to work itself out, she had to go through the emotions that came with each stage and no stage had a set time frame; she could even fall back into a previous stage. She began to wonder if she would make it through the rest of the holiday without losing her sanity.

It was with a sigh of relief that Mrs. Weasley watched Lupin take the Malfoys and Theo by way of apparition back to Malfoy Manor. It had all been set. The house was deemed safe enough for a short visit, long enough to make it appear the Malfoys were residing inside the manor. With an Order member on the staff at the Daily Prophet they were able to fabricate a story and pictures of the Malfoy family vacation "with childhood friend Theodore Nott." The Malfoys and Nott would leave for Kings Cross from the manor just in case it was being watched by the other side as well.

"Hurry up, you lot!"

Mrs. Weasley was waiting by the door. When Hermione came running down the stairs with her two best friends she almost looked normal. The dark circles were still there, she was still pale, and she still barely ate, but she wasn't so full of anger at that moment. Mrs. Weasley took a deep breath and their guard surrounded them ready to head off to their last year of school.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Hermione sat across from Ron and Harry at breakfast; each of them staring down at their class schedules.

"Great, Potions with the Slytherins…again," Ron said not bothering to hide how distasteful that sounded.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the look on Ron's face and turned back to her own schedule.

"Well, we do all have free periods to help us start revising for our NEWTs."

Ron looked at her with his mouth hanging open. He had thought, morbidly hoped that with the recent tragedy she would be less pushy about revisions.

"When is your free period today?"

"After Charms," Harry said.

Her forehead crinkled in thought.

"Mine is after Ancient Runes, right before lunch. Ron?"

Ron shook his head.

"Right after lunch," he said.

She shoved her schedule into her bag and waved her hand in front of her as if she were shooing a fly.

"It doesn't matter. I'll set you each a study guide and chart. If you use it you should be just fine." She stood up from the breakfast table, throwing her bag onto her shoulder. "Now, come on. We have History of Magic first thing."

The boys watched her begin to leave the Great Hall for a moment before scrambling to catch up with her. As she moved across the length of the Great Hall, her eyes rested on Draco, anger boiling up and darkening her eyes.

He was one of _them_.

She had no doubt that Draco Malfoy bore the mark of the beast just as his father did, just as those monsters that destroyed her family and took what innocence she had retained through her horrors at Hogwarts did.

At the Slytherin table a pair of hazel eyes so dark they could almost be mistaken in color, looked up from his breakfast plate and watched her move across the Great Hall. Theo turned to say something to Draco, but found Draco's eyes matching hers glare for glare. The only difference was the slight smirk on Draco's face. Theo took a deep breath before taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.

"Do you think it wise to continue this game with Granger, Draco?"

"This game is nothing new," Draco said. "Granger and I have been playing since we were eleven. Why stop now when it just got good?"

Theo swallowed the food in his mouth and shook his head.

"Keep playing with fire, Draco. Eventually you'll get burned."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

By all appearances of behavior, Hermione Granger was just as she was the previous year. She nagged the boys about their homework and taking their own notes. Her eyes gleamed in delight at the homework assigned. She seemed to sit up straighter when NEWTs were mentioned. It was only when she was around Draco Malfoy that they saw the other side…the anger she kept hidden. And it was only those that were at Grimmauld Place that knew those fading dark circles had been there almost since the start of summer, her lack of appetite was not a new thing due to her usual school stress and her pale face was not due to studying too long into the night.

She stepped into the Potions classroom ready for another first lesson of her final year. Her, Harry, and Ron were the only Gryffindors in the NEWTs level Potions class. In fact, there were three from each house and it would seem they remained intent on sticking together, choosing to sit at separate tables as if eating in the Great Hall.

Professor Slughorn looked over the class as they began to settle themselves down.

"Miss Granger, do not bother getting anything out of your bag just yet."

With a scrunched up confused look, she closed her bag and left it sitting on the table feeling simply wrong for not getting prepared for the note taking sure to come. Across the room, she could see Draco snickering at a table with Theo and Blaise. Her eyes narrowed and a list of curses began to run through her head. Next to her she could hear Harry and Ron already discussing Quidditch tryouts and she turned, angry and shushed them. They saw the look on her face and immediately shut up, eyes turning to glare at Draco for his mere presence in the room.

"Alright, welcome back," Slughorn said. "This year we are going to do something a bit different. I get tired of watching you all segregate yourselves. No wonder there is so much house rivalry."

Hermione's eyes drifted from glaring at Draco to set Slughorn with a glare of a different nature, one that screamed how much she did not trust him at that moment. She watched in horror as Slughorn switched one of the Hufflepuffs with one of the Ravenclaws. That could only mean one thing.

"Miss Granger, please change seats with Mr. Zabini."

Her eyes widened as they traveled back to the Slytherins at that table. There were three seats, just as there were at her table and Blaise had been sitting in between Theo and Draco. She glanced over at Ron and Harry, both of who looked taken aback and worried.

"Does Slughorn realize what he's doing?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders at Ron's question. She passed Blaise on her way to his seat, eyes still glaring with overwhelming anger at Draco. She threw herself onto the seat and began loudly pulling out parchment and quill. She would not hide how unhappy she was with this. On her left, Theo just glanced at her from the corner of his eyes as he pulled out his own parchment and quill. Draco sat relaxed on the high stool-style lab seat and leaned against the table slightly. He turned back to look at Hermione. His blond hair fell down almost covering his icy grey eyes and one corner of his lips turned up.

"Check," he whispered.


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **We all know this isn't mine

**A/N: **Sorry it has been so long. My mother past away suddenly and well I found it difficult to get back into the writing, but now the plot bunnies are attacking. I have through chapter 15 of this on my LiveJournal if anyone would like to friend me there!

**Chapter 3**

They stood in the middle of the corridor. Hermione's vine wood wand held firmly in Draco's face. Her pursed lips looked slightly pinker than normal in contrast to her still pale face. Her haunted eyes looked upon him with fire dancing in them, ready to burn him, ready to make him pay. The only movement was the slight heave of Hermione's chest in her barely controlled anger. It was the only thing she seemed to feel lately and she grasped a hold of that one emotion with both hands.

Draco held his wand just as firmly in Hermione's face. His wand was level with hers. His lip turned up in a slight snarl of disgust, the only sign of emotion on his face. He looked like a statue standing there tense as if ready to pounce if need be. His icy eyes melted and danced with a passion only seen when fighting with Granger. His expression suddenly shifted, no longer snarling, but smirking.

"Come on, Granger," he drawled. "You know you want to."

He could see the anger rising. Neither of them noticed the student body watching. While they stood there, face to face, the electricity crackling in the air around them, nothing seemed to exist. They were both lost in the situation.

"It's easy," he continued. "I'll even help you. I'll say it with you. Come on…Cr…"

"Miss Granger!"

Suddenly, the world came crashing down on them both. They still stood there, wands firmly held, but now they could hear the other students. It was as if the volume had been turned all the way down and with the arrival of Snape, someone slowly turned the volume back up. The sound came rushing to their ears and they both blinked as Snape removed Hermione's wand from her hand as he made his way through the throng of students, many still backing away not convinced that he killed Dumbledore on Dumbledore's orders.

"What a shame," Draco said dropping his wand and smirking as he placed it inside his robes. "You're almost cute when you're angry, Granger."

He leaned over slightly into her face. His blond hair fell forward slightly.

"Aw…how pathetic. Wandless again?"

No one expected her to do it. Not there in the corridor. Though, Harry and Ron would argue that it was not the first time. They stood there amongst the other on lookers, Harry's eyes looking across Draco and Hermione to the other side of the crowd, eyes meeting Nott's and nodding only slightly as if silently saying hello. Nott couldn't help but to laugh when Hermione did it.

Her fist went flying forward.

Draco never expected it, not with Snape standing there, but then Hermione just wasn't herself lately. Her fist made contact with his face and Draco fell back, surprised by the sudden physical attack in front of a professor. His hand immediately moved up and covered his eye. Hermione stepped forward to continue her physical assault of the Slytherin, but Nott had already moved forward, getting there just in time to grab her arm and pull her back. She paid no attention to who had a hold of her. She leaned down slightly, glaring at Draco.

"Checkmate."

* * *

The man with the half-moon spectacles and the long white beard sat in his frame, eyes sparkling suspiciously. The headmistress looked up from her paper work and turned around to glance at the painting. She could have sworn she heard Albus' painting snickering. She eyed him suspiciously, but he smiled docilely.

"Would you like a lemon drop, Minerva? I'm sure there is still a tin in the upper drawer of the desk."

"No, thank you," McGonagall replied curtly.

She really didn't trust that look on Albus' face. If he were still alive, she would swear he was up to something. McGonagall turned back around, facing the letters of parental concern regarding Professor Snape's presence as professor. She often wondered how Albus did this job before without telling these parents to simply shut up and trust him to do what was best. But in these times people were wary of everything. It was understandable. She was brought out of her thoughts by the stern knock at her office door. Only one person could knock and sound that anal.

"Come in, Professor Snape."

Professor Snape walked in not looking the least bit surprised that the headmistress knew who was at the door. Really he was the most logical choice. He was Deputy Headmaster; who else would frequent her office? What she didn't expect to see was Severus escorting Hermione Granger into her office, arms crossed over her chest like a petulant child.

"Sit, Miss Granger." She shot one contemptuous glance in Snape's direction before doing as told.

McGonagall looked from her star student to Professor Snape. Hermione was not looking at her though, as if she were ashamed of something. The tears welling up in her eyes were enough to tell the headmistress that something clearly was not right, still.

"Well," McGonagall snapped in Severus' direction. He raised one eyebrow, but quickly furrowed both when she set him with that look. The look that said "I was your professor, don't start with me." Severus crossed his arms over his chest, eyes cutting down toward Hermione with his eyebrows furrowing in displeasure.

"I found Miss Granger in the corridor with her wand in Draco Malfoy's face." McGonagall's eyes widened and Severus continued. "When I disarmed her she preceded to physically assault the boy."

Professor McGonagall turned slowly to look at Hermione. She refused to look up, not wanting to see the disappointment in her old Head of House and afraid her eyes would catch that of Professor Dumbledore's painting.

"Is this true, Miss Granger?"

Hermione could not speak. She nodded once and still refused to look up. McGonagall sighed and looked at the young woman as if more than anything she wanted to mother her.

"I can't let this go unpunished, Miss Granger," the Headmistress said. Hermione nodded her head. "You will serve detention with Professor Snape Friday."

Hermione nodded. She shifted as if to leave, but McGonagall held a hand up.

"Please remain, Miss Granger. I would like to speak to you when I'm done here."

McGonagall turned toward Severus.

"And you expect me to believe Mister Malfoy stood there unarmed while Miss Granger held a wand on him?"

Severus cocked one eyebrow as if asking the headmistress if she would believe it if he said yes.

"I fully expect Mister Malfoy to be punished as well for dueling in the corridors."

Severus snarled and nodded his head once knowing he had no choice now. With a quick glare in Hermione's direction he swept from the room leaving Hermione alone with the headmistress.

The door closed gently despite the rough exit of Professor Snape. The office was silent in Snape's wake. Hermione stared down in her lap. Professor McGonagall was silent watching Hermione fidget with her hands in her lap. She was at a loss as to what to do for the Head Girl. She had thought letting her go ahead and have the position would at least give her reason to try to get along with Draco. But the girl was poisoning herself in her anger every time she was near the boy.

"Miss Granger," McGonagall began.

At the sound of the headmistress' gentle voice, Hermione's bottom lip began to quiver slightly.

"Why do you continue to attack the boy?"

Hermione had been avoiding any eye contact with the professor, her eyes void of anything besides guilt until she asked that. Hermione's eyes danced with the fire of her anger suddenly as she turned to look at the wall instead of the headmistress.

"He's one of them," Hermione responded with as much venom as she could.

McGonagall sighed slightly.

"Miss Granger, you have no way of knowing…"

"He's a Slytherin isn't he?" Hermione's out of character interruption startled Professor McGonagall. She couldn't deny that the boy was a Slytherin, but did that automatically make him a Death Eater?

"Hermione, he was not the one that killed your parents."

The use of her first name and her softened voice that cracked like a mother wanting to cry for her child caused Hermione to feel the overflow of her emotions. A tear began to slide down her cheek and she closed her eyes.

"I'll never forgive him for being one of those monsters."

McGonagall could do nothing more and excused the girl. She watched her go, missing the brilliant witch she once was. She was still brilliant; she just wasn't the same anymore and she wished that someone could convince her to tell them about that night…how she got into that closet…how her wand was found next to her father's body. It was a tragic scene the headmistress hated the memories of and the images that came with it…and what it did to Hermione.

"It will take time, Minerva."

Albus' soft voice brought tears to the older woman's eyes. They were all losing so much in this war. And Hermione was letting no one in. McGonagall couldn't help but to wonder if she ever would. Would Hermione ever let someone back in? Was there anyone she would let hold her hand and guide her through this? Someone willing to wait, not only on the other side of that darkness, but walk through it with her?

* * *

He quickly removed the notations of the crescendo and was replacing them with the notations of the diminuendo when he glanced up at his friend walking in. Theo made one last mark on the page before shoving it in the black folder and grabbing his Potions text. They had to read up on the Alternus Potion for homework. He plopped his foot up on the edge of the table and sat back relaxed on the sofa, tossing his hair from his forehead.

"Well? What did Professor Snape want?"

Draco glared at his long time friend as he took his own seat on the sofa.

"To tell me I have detention with Granger Friday night."

Draco snarled when he heard Theo's laughter.

"You know, Draco, what did you expect? You've been doing nothing but goading her since she came out of her room," Theo said glancing around to be sure no one was close enough to listen.

"Yes," Draco said as he snarled at his friend as if he really didn't see where the problem lay.

Theo shook his head and took another look around. Most of the common room was empty. He sat up straight, dropping his feet to the ground.

"Draco, why do you continue to play with the Order's pet? I'm almost beginning to think you like her."

Draco's face turned paler than normal, his eyes wide and his face blank with shock at his friend's obvious disillusioned perception.

"She's a Mudblood, Theo. Of course I don't like her."

"Then enlighten me," Theo said.

Draco paused and stared into the common room fire. Did he really want to say anything to Theo? He always told Theo everything. Draco took a calming breath, looked down at this foot and then began.

"For most of my school years, my life at Hogwarts was as close to normal as I could get. You know this." Theo nodded. "Part of that normalcy was fighting with Granger. I'm simply fighting to maintain my normalcy."

Theo shook his head.

"That is the most mental thing you've ever said," he said as he stood up. Theo looked around the room and then back down at Draco. "Don't you have rounds tonight?"

Draco nodded and stood to leave. Theo could laugh all he wanted, but he was going to have his normalcy one way or another.

* * *

She didn't sleep very well. She never did. The visions of that night would flash behind her closed eyelids and she would grow fearful of the darkness that surrounded her. And when she would drift off for a short time, she always woke up in a cold sweat afraid of the nothingness that seemed to devour her. She was so angry, angry at Draco for being a Death Eater, angry at Draco for being alive and angry at him for having both his parents alive and well, worrying about him while he's away. Did the spoiled brat even realize what all he had? It was with these thoughts that eventually the darkness of sleep took her away again, though much too late for it to feel as if she had slept at all.

The next morning she sat in the Great Hall staring at Ron in disgust.

"Honestly, Ron. Do you really need to put that much in your mouth at once? You can't even chew with your mouth closed properly."

Harry looked between the two, slightly wary that their fighting would start back up. Ron tried to apologize, but he tried with food in his mouth. Even Harry had to cringe at that. Hermione looked away in disgust.

"Don't talk until you swallow your food."

Ron didn't try to talk again until he was finished chewing. Harry smiled across the table at his friend though.

"What happened yesterday when Snape took you to Professor McGonagall?"

Hermione turned and looked sternly at Harry.

"Professor Snape, Harry," she corrected. He rolled his eyes and nodded, but was not going to say it aloud. "I have detention with Professor Snape Friday," Hermione continued as she pulled at a bite of toast and popped it into her mouth with a strange look of distaste. Nothing seemed to have flavor anymore.

Ron stared at her open mouthed. Harry looked up from his breakfast with a slight smile in her direction. How often was it that Hermione Granger got detention without the help of either him or Ron?

"The git deserved what he got," Ron said in her defense.

"Thanks, Ron," she smiled at him appreciatively. "But really, I should not have responded to him the way I did. He just makes me so angry."

Ron nodded as if to say he understood.

"Oi, do you have your History of Magic notes from yesterday on you?"

"Ronald Weasley, when will you learn to take your own notes?"

He shrugged and blushed slightly at her reprimand. Harry couldn't help but to smile as Hermione handed her notes over. For that moment sitting together at breakfast it was as it always was between them. It was as if the tragedy of that summer had not happened and Hermione was Hermione again. It was hope. One day she would be herself again.

Hermione handed him her notes and looked away, watching the student body for a moment. When she looked away, her eyes landed on the Slytherin table and a certain Slytherin glaring daggers at her. She felt that anger, that anger that seemed to always simmer just below the surface.

"Playing with the Order's pet Muggle-born again?"

Theo picked up his goblet of pumpkin juice taking a drink, his eyes cutting over to look at Draco next to him. Draco didn't answer him. Theo placed his goblet back on the table and looked between the Gryffindor and his Slytherin friend. He shook his head.

"There is no sense in being angry with her," Theo said guessing what Draco's problem was that morning. "You got yourself detention by goading Granger."

Draco's eyes snapped away from their current contest with Granger.

"What? This again? Whose side are you on?"

Theo sighed and put his fork down.

"I'm on the side that keeps our school in one piece, not in shambles because you and Granger can't control this little game of yours."

Draco looked at his friend, lips slowly turning up into a slight smirk.

"Why, Theo? You want to join the game?"

"No," he said rather firmly as he stood up to head to class. He honestly didn't know what Draco was doing half the time anymore or what he was thinking.

Out of the Golden Trio, Hermione was the only one to take Ancient Runes. She really found it all fascinating and couldn't understand why Ron looked at her like a freak whenever she spoke of that fascination. Harry and Ron walked her about halfway to the Ancient Runes classroom before they had to take a different staircase to get to Divination. As she continued her walk to her classroom, she shook her head unable to understand why they insisted on sticking to the woolly subject.

She hated the feeling of panic that tried to overcome her when they disappeared from her sight. It wasn't so bad until she realized she was alone and then it was like being choked and in her head she could hear that horrible laughter and that awful claustrophobic feeling of being trapped—locked in a closet. Her feet started to move faster, trying to keep the desire to run tampered down.

Theo was sitting in a seat in the back of the classroom. He was the only Slytherin in the NEWT level Ancient Runes course. The rest of the class was Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff here and there. His bag sat on the desk in front of him and he sat back in his seat, slightly slumped down, hands in his pants pockets looking nothing short of relaxed as he quietly observed the other students, taking note of their odd little quirks and the body language they displayed while talking to certain people. He was Slytherin after all and it was good to know who and what surrounded you. It was good to know their weaknesses.

The whole class seemed to be assembled when the door opened and Theo turned his head slightly to have a view of who had just entered so disruptively. Granger stood just inside the door looking like a deer caught in the headlights. She was still pale and her eyes were so wide. He could see a slight rising panic in her. The door to the classroom was in the back of the room, so her eyes first fell on Nott. His dark hazel eyes shifted to the seat next to him, before turning around all the way and resuming his previously relaxed position.

Hermione approached the empty seat next to the Slytherin, questioning her sanity. He was a Slytherin; she was a Gryffindor, but neither of them had any housemates in this class. She slid silently into the seat, eyes shifted only slightly to observe the Slytherin from the corner of her eyes. She really didn't know much about him. He was in hiding during the summer. That much she knew. And the wizarding world believed him to have been on vacation with the Malfoys. He never called her Mudblood despite her altercation with his father in the Department of Mysteries that sent him to Azkaban and the other Slytherins didn't appear to really care too much about that. She also had vague memories of him bringing trays of food to her room at Grimmauld Place when she first arrived. Her lips turned up slowly with that memory. Perhaps there was some small part of him that wasn't so…Slytherin.

Halfway through the class found Hermione diligently taking notes and Theo leaning onto the table, his head lying in his left hand while he took notes with his right. Every now and then, his eyes would drift up from his parchment, peering through the strands of hair that barely hung down over his hazel eyes and settled on the broken Gryffindor next to him. His quill would still be moving, finishing whatever line he was writing, but his eyes would be fixed on her, always watching. She was so much different from the girl he took trays of food to only to have Mrs. Weasley find the food still sitting there hours later.

His eyes lingered on her profile. She nibbled her bottom lip slightly as she concentrated on the professor's words, probably working something extra about the lesson out in her mind. Her hair fell over her shoulder. He watched her bring one frail looking hand up and tuck the offending hair behind her ear. He noticed her eyes would suddenly dart around the classroom, but never toward him, as if waiting for someone to jump out and attack her. He could almost understand Draco's need to make her angry. There was a need to see this Gryffindor as she always was because then they could pretend their life was simple, normal. If she acted normally they could pretend something so horrifyingly tragic did not happen to someone they knew, whether they liked her or not. He even heard other Slytherins speaking of her strange behavior. Was she that unaware of the affect she had on those around her? Perhaps this game was Draco's way of reaching into that darkness for her? Perhaps he could enter that darkness with her, reach out to her and show her the way out?

Theo was snapped out of his trance by the book that was placed on the table between them. Her golden eyes turned and met his almost smoldering ones. She couldn't help but to wonder if his eyes had always looked that way.

"Each table has a different book," the professor explained. "You will work on this project in pairs, your partner being whoever is at the table with you. Your assignment is simple. Figure out which runes are used in the book and not only do I want a comprehensive history of the text, but I want the first fifteen pages translated. It's due in one month. I want you taking your time with this one."

As the bell rang signifying the end of class, Theo grabbed the book and dropped it into his bag. Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but quickly shut it against whatever scathing remark she was about to say.

"When is your free period, Granger?"

Theo stood up, looking down at the slightly stunned young woman.

"Now," she said.

Theo nodded, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Me too; I'm assuming you want to start immediately so let's go."

Hermione stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder and together she and Nott walked to the library. She walked along side the Slytherin for the first time taking note of his presence. And what a presence it was. She noticed the eyes of nearly every female they passed by take note of him and follow his movement through the corridor. She realized exactly how he had grown. No, he was not that lanky little Slytherin anymore. His robes were off, hanging on his bag and his Slytherin tie was so loosely tied that the top buttons of his shirt were undone, none of it hiding the contours of the body he had beneath. This was not Ron or Harry.

Besides the looks of admiration he received, they also received strange looks. Hermione Granger, Gryffindor walking down the corridors with Theodore Nott, Slytherin. He didn't seem bothered by the strange looks, but to Hermione those whispers that followed felt like screams through her head. He could sense her discomfort and quickly escorted her to a back corner table.

They didn't talk much back there; no more than necessary. Hermione was concentrating on figuring out which set of runes was being used and Theo was working quickly on making a list of history books they would need to look through for the report. Hermione glanced up every now and then when she would catch the sounds of Theo barely humming a tune she did not recognize.

"There you are!"

Hermione looked up from her parchment to see Ron and Harry both standing there with concerned looks.

"Told you she would be at the library," Harry said. "That's where she always is."

Hermione noticed her friends' eyes shift to Nott curiously.

"Sorry, I didn't realize how late it was. We were assigned a large project today."

She stood up and started gathering the notes she had taken so far and nodded a goodbye to Nott before she left the library walking between her two protectors. Theo watched her leave, waiting till she was out of sight to pull out his black folder.

* * *

Draco sat at the Slytherin table ignoring the pouting looks of Pansy at the other end. He had broken up with her during the whole Dumbledore fiasco and she was apparently hopeful that they would get back together again. He really had no interest at all and she seemed displeased with that. Rolling his eyes, he picked up his goblet and took a drink noting the smiling faces of the Golden Trio as they entered the Great Hall. Those two dunderhead friends of Hermione's seemed to pull out all the stops just to make everything seem normal, to make her smile again.

"Where have you been?" Theo took his seat next to Draco and smirked at his question. He said nothing at first, taking a slow drink of his own pumpkin juice.

"I've been in the library with the Order's pet. We were assigned a project together."

"I'm sorry," Draco said as he looked over at the Gryffindor table.

She smiled with her friends, laughed at their jokes, pushed her food around on her plate, but rarely did Draco notice her actually put food in her mouth. His eyes traveled up to the Head Table where the headmistress sat, eyes on Hermione and a frown on her face. So, Professor McGonagall had noticed as well. Hermione's smile remained on her face until her eyes floated over Harry's shoulder and landed on Draco.

She felt frozen. His eyes were like ice as they stared into her own as if they could read all her secrets.


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**Notes: **Being as I have up to chapter 17 written, I am going to start getting this posted. I've just had a lot to deal with as of late. Getting a promotion. Manager on medical leave and not enough employees and then my daughters...we live in a small country town and things like this just don't happen here...but a friend they have had since they were 5 and 6 (they are 13 and 14 now) was shot in the head by another friend of theirs. This has been devastating. I will never forget that phone call or the sound of the horror, heartbreak and confusion in my baby's voice.

**Chapter 4**

Theo and Draco were already in their seats in the Potions classroom when Hermione stepped in with her two closest friends. It was like it had always appeared to be. Hermione walked in either smiling or looking like she was scolding one of them. Today it was a smile. For that split second it looked like the old Hermione if you ignored how pale she still was and how thin her face was. Harry had whispered something down to her that had her in fits of giggles until her eyes landed on the table she was to sit at.

Harry followed her line of vision. Seeing the table with the empty seat between the two Slytherins was enough to dampen the best of moods. What was Slughorn thinking by separating them? What had it proven except that one class period could not pass by without Draco and Hermione looking about ready to kill each other? Her hard glare turned to Harry and Ron where it softened into an almost apologetic appeal to understand. Harry smiled reassuringly and turned to sit in his own seat. Ron reluctantly followed.

The class was thrilled when Slughorn told them there would be no practical lesson today, but to simply take notes in preparation for the practical part of the lesson on Monday. Hermione got her quill and parchment out, trying to ignore the rising anger. Theo leaned slightly against the lab table, twirling his quill between his fingers, watching Draco's behavior. It was as if Draco knew what his mere presence did to Hermione. He would lean slightly, just a tad closer, into Hermione's space, just enough for her to notice. Theo shook his head. True, this little game of Draco's was fascinating to watch, but he kept waiting for it to backfire and he knew it would. If you keep putting your hand into the fire, eventually you get burned.

"Which one of you can tell me about the Alternus Potion?"

Slughorn's beady eyes looked over the classroom, smiling like a large toad when his eyes landed on Hermione's raised hand. He nodded for her to go ahead. Draco rolled his eyes as she began to speak in her usual tone of one giving a lecture.

"Alternus or Alternate Potion is a Potion created in the Eighteenth Century by several so called Seers. Originally, the potion was meant to show the every day witch and wizard the future, but due to one of the seers mixing the dandelion roots in before the unicorn hair, the potion instead shows the drinker glimpses of an alternate reality that some muggle scientists and wizard researchers believe to co-exist with the one we know. These alternate realities are often total opposite realities from the one which we know, with various aspects that may very much mirror the reality which we know."

"Thank you, Miss Granger!"

Slughorn seemed thrilled with her response and continued on with his lesson while Hermione wrote more notes than what was probably necessary for her, fighting the urge to stab Draco with her quill. It was all his fault she had detention on a Friday night. All his fault.

* * *

Hermione closed her Potions text book where she had been reading about the Alternus Potion, again. She slipped it into her bag and stood up. Harry and Ron both looked up from the chess table as one of Ron's knights slaughtered one of Harry's. They both knew where she was heading.

"Good luck with your detention," Ron said as he pumped his fist in the air at his coming victory.

Harry rolled his eyes, pushed his glasses up and instructed one of his pieces where to go. As the piece made its move, Harry looked back up at Hermione moving through the common room toward the portrait hole.

"Hermione," he called to her. "Don't let that ferret get to you."

She paused at the portrait hole and nodded with a small smile.

Hermione walked swiftly through the corridors ignoring the looks she received by those students still roaming about the castle. She hated the sideways glances as if they expected her to melt down at any moment. She hated the pity on some of their faces. She didn't need their pity; she didn't want it.

The students she saw in the corridors dwindled in number the closer she got to Professor Snape's office. Not many wished to loiter about near his office for fear of him finding something to punish them for, even it was simply breathing too loud. Despite her distaste for the looks the students she ran across graced her with, as the number of students dwindled and she found herself alone in the corridor, she felt a panic rising in her. Her feet moved faster, almost running until she reached the door to his office. When Hermione lifted her fist to knock on the door, she saw how it shook.

"Enter."

Snape looked up from his desk and through his strands of dark hair as the girl entered his office. She looked as pale as she had all summer. She looked shaken though; he had no doubt her trek down to his dungeon office was riddled with panic and anxiety. He watched her fidget; hovering near the door as if that alone would give her an easy quick escape if one became necessary. His eyes shifted back down to the parchment he was writing on.

"Are you ready to talk about what happened?"

He asked as if he really didn't care in hopes that perhaps his indifference would help her open her mouth and talk, knowing she would get no pity from him. There would be no mollycoddling from Professor Snape. She was quick to answer though.

"No."

Immediately following her answer, the second knock he was expecting sounded, causing Hermione to nearly jump out of her skin. Snape watched how she pushed herself against the wall as he told Draco to enter.

The blond Slytherin entered Snape's office, tossing his hair out of his eyes and glancing sideways at the clearly fear stricken Hermione. Draco's lips turned up into a slightly crooked smirk. Snape cleared his throat, his only attempt to stop anything Draco was about to do to make things worse.

"Both of you," Snape said rising from his seat and stepping around his desk. "I will escort the both of you to an area around the lake that needs weeding."

On the way to the lake, Hermione bit her bottom lip, fighting the desire to pull her wand and hex the nasty little Death Eater to oblivion. Snape stood on the side of the lake, looking between the two students, noticing the rising anger on Hermione's face. He held out both his hands.

"Wands," he said curtly.

Hermione, accustomed to having Snape take her wand, pulled it out and slapped it into his hand harder than necessary. Draco looked thoroughly put out. Why was he being punished for Granger's lack of self-control?

"I shall return," Snape said, pocketing both wands and heading back for the castle.

As Snape disappeared, Hermione looked down at the overgrown area he had taken them to. It was on a slight cliff above the lake, not so far above as to be dangerous. In the summer times you could find students jumping from it into the lake. The weeds were over grown however and Hermione worried for a moment about what could possibly be living and breeding in that mess.

She said not a word to Draco as she knelt down and began pulling at the weeds with her hands. Why was it always punishment to not use magic? Simply being forced anywhere near Malfoy without a wand to hex him was punishment enough. Still, each weed she pulled she imagined to be Draco's head. Looking at the ground and the weeds in disgust, Draco knelt down. This was so beneath him.

An hour later found Darco and Hermione both filthy from the ground and the weeds that fought against being pulled from the ground. Draco pushed his hair, damp with sweat out of his eyes and glared at Hermione.

"This is all your fault, Mudblood. If you'd just control yourself once in a while!"

Hermione shot up out of her crouching position on the ground, ignoring the way her back screamed in pain. Her fists were clenched at her sides.

"I'm not the Death Eater here! It's all your fault." As she said the words "Death Eater" her lips turned up in a disgusted snarl and her eyes danced with so much anger and hate that Draco could not help but to stand up and fight with her.

"Don't talk about things you know nothing about!"

Hermione nodded and stepped closer to the Slytherin. Who did he think he was?

"I know enough, Malfoy. I know enough to know that you are one of them. You were raised to be one of them!"

Malfoy's anger was beginning to rise to a dangerous point. They had fought for years. She always angered him, but this was taking it too far. What did she know? Absolutely nothing.

"You would just love it if you were right, wouldn't you, Granger?" Draco snarled at her. "You want the truth, Granger? Want to see for yourself?" Draco's voice was rising and Hermione's anger was growing. Her chest heaved in barely restrained anger, her eyes dancing with fire. In his anger, Draco nearly ripped his shirt in his effort to pull his sleeve up. He shoved his forearm right under Hermione's nose.

"There, Mudblood! Happy? Do you see it? Does it mock you and remind you?"

Hermione stared down at the offending mark upon Draco's arm. She knew it was there, but somehow such a victory wasn't something to be celebrated. Her eyes were wide.

"I knew you were one of them," she hissed.

"You know nothing, Mudblood! You honestly believe this was the choice I made?"

Their voices were rising and no one was around to see or hear. Then Hermione simply could not take the sight of that horrid mark in her face, so close to her on the arm of a Death Eater. She felt sick…she felt poisoned by the hate that flooded her system.

* * *

The Headmistress stood in front of the two students, dumbfounded and appalled at their appearances. Hermione and Draco both stood in front of her, dripping wet from head to toe. It was simply unfathomable how a detention for them could turn into this. She first looked over Draco. There was no bodily damage that she could tell. His hair was plastered to his head, dripping water. His school uniform, top few buttons undone, was plastered to his form, melding to the shape of the contours of his lean upper body. Then, she looked over Hermione. It was just indecent for this student to be wet like this in a white shirt in front of a hormonal young man. It didn't matter that they hated each other. This needed to be dealt with quickly. She almost felt bad doing so. Hermione hadn't been the same. She would be one day, but not right now. They still didn't know what horrors the girl witnessed that sent her into that closet instead of standing and fighting to the death like any Gryffindor who often runs head first into things. She would tell no one though.

"How did the two of you manage to come to this soaking wet state?"

"Easy," Draco said with a strained voice. "We were serving our detention….weeding the area around the lake. She tried to push me into the lake, so naturally I grabbed the first thing I could reach."

"And what would that be, Mr. Malfoy?" McGonagall was sounding very annoyed with this story.

"Granger, of course."

Hermione turned toward Draco and was ready to verbally attack.

"Why you little cretin! You're not going to tell her what you said to me are you?"

Their voices were so loud that any portraits that were usually early to bed were awake now and listening. McGonagall had enough.

"Alright! That is enough!"

Her voice boomed in the office causing Draco and Hermione to both shut up and turn to look at her with wide eyes and worry of what was to come.

"I have had it! You are the Heads and are supposed to be setting an example! One more fight….just one…and both of you will be stripped of your Heads titles. Am I clear?"

They both nodded silently, afraid to say anything else.

"I will decide your punishment at a later time," she said. "Now go back to your dorms. I don't want to see you back in my office this weekend either."

Draco and Hermione left the office in a strained silence, both wanting to blame the other. When she stepped off the stairs leading up to the Headmistresses office, she was relieved to see Harry and Ron waiting on her. Harry rushed forward when he saw her appearance and quickly handed his robe to her. Nott was leaning against the stone wall shaking his head at Draco when he looked Hermione over one good time, noting how Harry and Ron seemed to be taking good care of their broken pet.

"Not a word, Nott," Draco said in an obvious bad mood by the use of his closest friend's last name instead of his first. Nott continued to chuckle as he walked with Draco back to the common room in the dungeons, glancing over his shoulder once at the Gryffindors moving in the opposite direction.

* * *

Theo's deep dark hazel eyes moved from Hermione to Draco and back again as they continued to argue. It was ridiculous. How long was Draco going to continue this game? Was there really that much entertainment value in angering Granger to the point of near insanity? From across the room he could see Harry and Ron shooting surreptitious looks their way. Even from where the Gryffindors sat with Blaise they could see the tension and arguing at his table.

Hermione peered into the cauldron. The potion sat completely docile in a shade of puce green.

"It's not supposed to be that color, Malfoy."

Her anger had lessened some in the days following the lake incident. She was still angry, she just wasn't quite so violent toward Draco anymore, but their arguing was as loud and passionate as ever. The urge would suddenly fill her, but no longer was it so uncontrollable that she had to dive over tables to reach the Slytherin.

Draco leaned over the cauldron to look in real quick and then looked back at Hermione.

"What did you do to it, Granger?"

From the other side of Hermione, Theo looked up, eyebrows slightly raised in annoyance and trying desperately to get Draco to just cut it out. It was exhausting watching Draco play this little game, but every time he mentioned it to Draco, Draco asked if he wanted to join in.

"What did I do to it? Why you…" She moved to step forward, but found she could go nowhere. She turned at the surprise of not moving and saw Nott had a hold of the back of her robes with one hand.

"This is my grade too," was all Nott said as he let go of her, confident she would do nothing to Draco.

She turned back to Draco.

"I did not do this, Malfoy. You don't know how to follow directions. It says right here," she said pointing to the book. "To stir the potion three times clock-wise after adding the dragon scale to prevent this coloring."

Draco turned to Hermione rather quickly and bent down to be eye level with her. His icy eyes seemed to have trapped hers in their glare.

"Let me explain something to you," he said with no hidden amount of contempt.

"Unlike your idiot Gryffindor friends, I do not make it a habit to allow little Mudbloods to push me around."

She was so angry, tears were forming in her eyes, welling up and screaming to be released, but she refused. Not in front of Draco. Anyone but him. That word still hurt to hear it used. He tore open wounds Draco couldn't possibly know, but she doubted he cared either.

"You're awful," she whispered barely keeping control of her voice.

At the sound of her almost broken voice, Theo looked up from his notes on how to fix the potion. His grey eyes lingered on the tear that was starting to slowly slide down her cheek. Draco looked at her with a smirk.

"I got news for you, Mudblood. You're not exactly the sweetest rose in the garden yourself."

With those words, Draco grabbed the unicorn hair, not just one, but about five and threw them down into the cauldron with a smirk as if daring her to say anything to him. He had no doubt he could afford one bad grade if it meant knocking this Gryffindor off her pedestal. He might could even put the blame on her obvious insanity and talk Slughorn into allowing him to remake the potion without her.

But those thoughts were washed away when he threw the unicorn hair into the potion. Theo knew what was coming and was backing away, trying to pull Hermione with him, but she was quickly knocked out of his grip by the explosion that followed.

Hermione felt herself being knocked to the ground by an unforeseen force. She felt the gooey coverings of a potion gone awry and felt Draco Malfoy's long hard body land on top of hers. She felt the anger boiling up, threatening to over take her again. She wouldn't let it. That would be like letting this ferret win. She pushed and kicked at him, trying to ignore the way his blond hair brushed across her cheek.

"Get OFF me!"


End file.
